Many electronic devices have a plurality of cables that are connected to either the front or the rear of the device during operation. For example, desktop computer boxes have a separate cable for USB, Firewire, PS/2, keyboard, parallel ports, Ethernet, power, standard telephone and many others all connected to the back of the computer box simultaneously. Servers, switches, hubs, and routers are other examples of devices with man cables connected. Often, these devices can have on the order of 50 cables connected to the rear of a single box. The weight of the cables that are run up to the device can place a large strain on the cables themselves, the connectors of the cables, the connectors of the device, or the circuit board of the device. After a time this strain damages the cables, connectors, or even the device itself.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a mechanism that manages cables connecting to an electronic or optical device.